Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1887-01-05

OF tne transfer OF SAID subtcr1paon, 1t shall
be the duty of the county commissioners to
transfer the subscription to any other rail-
road company which shall accept the same
and obligate itself to constructs railroad through
said townships; but provides that such election
shall not be held until after theeXpiration ofthe
time named in thecontract between the c., c. &
G. X. Il. Co., and the county commissioners in
regard to said subscriptions. 1T further pro-
vides that if said subscription shall be transfer
red any other railroad company, the county;
commissioners shall place the bonds Of said
townships in the hands of trustee who shall be
a resident of this State, and the bonds to be de-
liverable only upon the following terms and
conditions, to-aoh: When sections Of five miles
shall have been completed, the trustee shall de-
liver an amount of bonds which shall bear the
same ratio and proportion to the whole amount
Of the work, as the said five mile section shall
bear to the whole number ofmiles of said railroad
company running through the township. This
Act further provides that upon petition sign
ed by majority of the freeholders of York
township, and presented to the county commits,
sioners, they are required to order an election
in York township, upon the question of chang
ing the conditions Of fthesubscription of seventy
five thousand dollars heretofore voted in aid of
the Charleston, Cincinnati & Chicago Railroad
Company, so as to remove the condition thatthe
said railroad company shall build their line from
Blacks to Yorkville, by the survey of Decem,
ber, 1885, or what is commonly known as the
"Direct Line," and allow the RAILROAD company,
to build their liue by the most practicable route
from Blacks to Yorkville. The Act further
provides that York township may also, atthe
same time, vote upon the question of changing
the amount Of their subscription from seventy
five thousand dollars to any other amount as
condition of their consent to a change in the
route from Blacks to Yorkville The Act fur
ther provides that if majority of the Qualified
voters of York township shall vote in favor OF
such change in the conditions of their tonner
subscription, and shall vote in favor Of smaller
subscription, that the county commissioners
sha before ssNhEng th new
turned to them and cancelled.
An "Act to limit the number of trial justices
in York county, fix their territorial jurisdiction
and provide for their compensation" This Act
has been so fully discussed in my letters to the
ENQUIRER, that it seems unnecessary to give
full synopsis of it here. 1t is sufficient to say
that it provides for one trial justice for each town
ship, and confines the jurisdiction of the trial
justice to the township for which he isappointed,
except in such cases as are named in the Act. In
case Of the absence, sickness, death or incapaci-
ty to act by reason of interest or otherwise, the
party seeking the warrant shall make an affidavit,
to the fact before the nearest trial justice who is
then authorized to act: The Act does not prevent,
two trial justices sitting together or for the rei
moval of cases from one trial justice to another,
in cases as is now provided by law. Nor does it
prevent trial justices from endorsing warrants
to be served anywhere in the county. In cases
cognizable by the Court Of General Sessions, each
trial Justice has jurisdiction throughout the
county. The salary of the trial justices for York
and Catawba townships is seventy vedollars
each for Cherokee township, sixty dollars and
for all of the other townships, fifty dollars each.
For constables' services each trial justice in the
county is allowed the uniform sum of sixty dol
lars. The sheriff is not allowed any pay from
the county for service Of summons from trlal
justices. The trial justices are required.to col
lect and pay into the county treasury the fees and
costs to which they and their consta5es would be
nntitla6 but for the OaSSape of this Act not only
in all cases tried, but in all cases compromised,
and to send up to the clerk of the court certified
transcript of their criminal docket, showing the
amount of costs taxed in each case tried by them,
and the amount collected thereon, for the inspec-
ton of the grand jury; such transcript to be
sent up ten days before each term of the Courto OF
General Sessions.
The bill to refund the taxes to farmers of
York, Lexington and Greenville countless on
cotton assessed in their hands last January, pass
ed the Senate, but failed to pass the House, for
the reason that it was not reached on the House
calendar before adjournment. 1t is due to the
York delegation in the House to say that it was
no fault of theirs that the bill was not reached.
They made several Intellectual efforts to have it
taken up out of its regular order and have it
passed. 1t goes over on the calendar to the next
session, and think will pass the House, when
those who paid this tax will get it refunded.
But our farmers should bear in mind that the
Legislature cannot exempt cotton from taxation,
under the provisions of the constitution, any
more than it can rice, corn or any other personal
property, and that this bill refunding the cotton
tax last year was favorably entertained only for
the reason that it was unequal, as the auditors OF
other counties of the State did not require 1t to
be listed for taxation.
All of the proposed constitutional amend
ments were continued to the next session. Moth
ing could be gained by passing them atthis ses-
sion, as they cannot be submitted to the people
uatilthe next general election. ~
JOHN G. BLACK.